# reconcile_stale_claims

[MAINTENANCE] 56e9b3c7 — project/version-scoped, auditable stale-claim reconciliation sweep. The bulk counterpart to claim_sprint_item's own inline autonomous reconciliation (which only ever fires reactively, on a claim attempt against one already-claimed item) — use this for a scheduler path, or an explicit human/planner/executor-triggered audit across a whole board. Scans in_progress items in project_id (optionally narrowed to one version and/or an explicit item_ids allow-list — never cross-project), classifies each claim as active/stale/ambiguous via the same multi-signal check claim_sprint_item uses (session heartbeat liveness, claimed_at age vs. a 2h threshold, worktree/pid evidence — never age alone), and — ONLY when dry_run=False — resets every 'stale' verdict: atomically returns the item to pending, clears claimed_at/actor, releases the file/symbol resource locks the abandoned claim held, and writes an audit record. 'active' and 'ambiguous' verdicts are NEVER touched, dry-run or not — this never force-releases a genuinely live owner or treats an inconclusive signal as proof of abandonment. dry_run=True (the default) performs the full scan/classification and reports exactly what WOULD happen without writing anything — safe to run against any project, including live production boards, at any time. max_batch bounds how many in_progress candidates are scanned in one call (capped server-side); truncated=true on the result means more candidates exist than were scanned — page through with a follow-up call. Returns {project_id, version, dry_run, max_batch, candidates_total, scanned, truncated, active: [...], ambiguous: [...], stale: [...], reset: [...], errors: [...]} — active/ambiguous/stale hold classification verdicts, reset holds what was actually written back (only populated when dry_run=False), errors holds {item_id, error} for any one candidate whose classification or reset failed (never aborts the rest of the sweep). Persistent-state disclosure: on hosted Meridian, supplied text and project/session metadata -- including task log entries, pinned decisions, sprint items, notes, handoff/goal state, and HITL queue items -- are sent to and stored in Meridian's service, in an isolated per-tenant Postgres database (Neon); self-hosted deployments keep the same categories in the configured local SQLite/Postgres database. This data is visible in the dashboard and API, and may resurface in later project context or handoffs. Notes and pinned decisions can be deleted individually; task log entries and sprint items can be deleted via the dashboard/API (not exposed as an agent-facing tool); HITL queue items and handoff state have no per-record delete. Full removal of any of this data is available via project or account deletion, using the documented controls. Do not include secrets.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `reconcile_stale_claims`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ajc3xc-meridian/reconcile-stale-claims

## Facts

- Tool: `reconcile_stale_claims`
- Server: Meridian (`@meridianmcp/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ajc3xc-meridian.md
- Install: `npx -y @meridianmcp/mcp`
- Homepage: https://github.com/meridianmcp/Meridian
- Risk category: Destructive (Critical risk)
- Registry record: grade D, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: gated
- Server CORS policy: *
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 8
- Recommended policy verdict: Hidden

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `actor` | string | no | Recorded as who ran the sweep, for the audit trail. Omit to leave unattributed. |
| `dry_run` | boolean | no | Default true: classify and report only, write nothing. Set false to actually reset every 'stale' verdict (release locks, return to pending, write an audit recor |
| `version` | string | no | Optional: narrow the scan to one sprint-version bucket. Omit to scan every version in the project. |
| `item_ids` | array | no | Optional: only classify/reset these specific in_progress item ids (still hard-scoped to project_id). Omit to scan every in_progress candidate. |
| `max_batch` | integer | no | Cap on how many in_progress candidates are classified (and, if not dry-run, potentially reset) in this one call. Server-side hard ceiling applies regardless of |
| `repo_root` | string | no | Self-hosted only: enables the worktree-pid and strict-completion-evidence liveness signals. Defaults to the server's own repo root when omitted. |
| `project_id` | string | no |  |
| `project_name` | string | no | Project name — an alternative to project_id; resolved to the id internally. project_id wins if both are given. |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "reconcile_stale_claims",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why reconcile_stale_claims is rated Critical

An AI agent that decides to call reconcile_stale_claims doesn't hesitate, doesn't double-check, and doesn't stop at one. Whatever it removes from Meridian is gone. There is no undo for destructive operations.

## Use case

AI agents call reconcile_stale_claims to permanently remove resources in Meridian, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Hidden**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Meridian:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "reconcile_stale_claims"
  ]
}
```

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- …and 204 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-ajc3xc-meridian.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=io-github-ajc3xc-meridian · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/io-github-ajc3xc-meridian